A typical computer system 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes several components that are collectively used by a user to perform various functions such as, for example, preparing and generating a document with a word processor application. With the computer system 10, the user may input data to a computing portion 12 using peripheral devices such as a keyboard 14 or a mouse 16. Data may also be provided to the computing portion 12 using data storage media, e.g., a floppy disk or a CD-ROM (not shown). The computing portion 12, using memory and other internal components, processes both internal data and data provided to the computing portion 12 by the user to generate data requested by the user. The generated data may be provided to the user via, for example, a display device 18 or a printer 20.
The computing portion 12 of a computer system typically includes various components such as, for example, a power supply, disk drives, and the electrical circuitry required to perform the necessary and requested operations of the computer system. As shown in FIG. 2, the computing portion 12 may contain a plurality of circuit boards 22, 24, 26, 28 (e.g., printed circuit boards (PCBs) or printed wiring boards (PWBs)) on which various circuit components are implemented. For example, a computing portion designed to have enhanced sound reproducing capabilities may have a circuit board dedicated to implementing circuitry that specifically operate to process data associated with the reproduction of sound.
In FIG. 2, the components of exemplary circuit board 22 are shown. A crystal oscillator 30 provides a reference of time to various integrated circuits (ICs) 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microprocessors, logic gates) that are connected to the circuit board 22. The integrated circuits 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 communicate with one another, i.e., pass data, using wires or traces of conductive material (e.g., copper (shown, but not labeled)) embedded in the circuit board 22.
Integrated circuits, such as the ones shown in FIG. 2, are fabricated on delicate and highly sensitive semiconductor dies. Thus, in order to protect a semiconductor die from, for example, adverse environmental variables, the semiconductor die, along with the integrated circuit fabricated thereon, are electrically packaged so as to form a component referred to as an “integrated circuit package” or a “chip package.” Such a package is then mounted to a circuit board and essentially serves as an electrical interface between the integrated circuit fabricated on the semiconductor die and the circuit board by means of which the various integrated circuits on the circuit board communicate. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, each of the shown integrated circuits 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 represent integrated circuit packages to which the actual data storing and processing circuitry (fabricated on semiconductor dies (not shown)) are associated.
Integrated circuit packages provide both mechanical support and environmental protection for the integrated circuits housed in the integrated circuit packages. Further, such integrated circuit packages are designed to provide signal and power distribution to the integrated circuit(s) contained therein. Integrated circuit packages may also be beneficial for dissipating heat generated by their respective integrated circuits.